Edmonton teen drumming up support for band that will march to its own beat
Riley Ross is looking to drum up support for a new cause.
The Edmonton teenager is hoping to found the city's first community drumline.
"The goal is to get drumline out there," Ross said in an interview Monday with CBC Radio's Edmonton AM.
"This is a part of our community that is not well known and it can really bring people together."
Ross, 18, has begun recruiting band members and hopes to have a battery of percussion instruments — drums, cymbals, marimbas, xylophones, glockenspiels and vibraphones — marching at city festivals, parades and private events by the end of the year.
He said the high school drumlines that already exist in the city aren't showcased enough in the community and aren't open to everyone.
He wants to create a band that will give everyone a chance to watch and play.
"Some of the high schools in the city do have drumlines but they don't perform much and they don't really put themselves out there, and I think it's something the community really needs and deserves to have," Ross said.
"It would be really great to have it in our city but it didn't seem to be happening so I thought, well, maybe it's time for me to do something."
Feeling the beat
Ross starting banging drums in marching band in junior high. By the time he was a senior at Ross Sheppard High School, he was leader of the school drumline.
Now a graduate, he works as an instrument repair technician and continues to instruct students in drumline at his alma mater.
Ross put out a call on Reddit earlier this month to gauge interest in a volunteer-operated band and the response was music to his ears.
Dozens of people have responded to his post asking to join. He already has a core group of players signed up and is seeking private sponsors to cover the cost of musical equipment.
He expects rehearsals to begin before the end of summer.
'A lot of camaraderie and teamwork'
Anyone interested in joining will be welcome in his marching percussion ensemble, Ross said.
Experience is an asset but not a requirement. Ross said he is willing to teach anyone how to master the beat and tap out a perfectly synchronized cadence.
He said drumming demands teamwork and a passion for performance.
"There is a lot of camaraderie and teamwork in order to make it all work," he said. "It's very, very difficult to play in a drumline with someone because everyone has to be exactly on time ... so it's a really special feeling when you get it right.
"And on top of that, all of the things you can do with drumline in performances are fantastic. You can tell stories, you can evoke emotion in people, you can really make an impact."
